Apparatus for extracting metals from ores.



PATENTED AUG.18, 1908.

J. H. REID. i APPARATUS-FOR EXTRAGTING METALS PROM GRES.

APPLICATION FILED lAUG.. 5, 1907.

, INVETDR..

l JZHREID ,I BY ATT'Y WITNES S.

lead to condensing'tanks I, which are UNITED; sTATEs IPATENT oEEIoE JAMES HEN'RYREID, lOENEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR- TO ELECTRIC SMELTERS,

' LIMITED, OF OTTAWA,v CANADA, A CORPORATION OE CANADA.

APPARATUS FOR. EXVTRACTING METALS FROM CRES.

Specification o f Letters Patent. i' l Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Application md August 5, 1.907. seal 110,387,221.

ToV all whom it may concern: 'l

Be it known that I, J AMES HENRY REID, of Newark, in the State ofNeW Jersey, United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ap aratus` for Extracting Metals from Orcs, of) which the followingV 1s a s ecification.

My invention re ates to improvements in an apparatus for extractin metals from' their ores, and the objects o my` invention are to provide means for producing a vacuum within and without the apparatus, and to effect the withdrawal and condensation of the subliined elements of the ore as quickly and eiiiciently as ossible.

More speci cally considered, they objects are to provide an apparatus to carry out a process which I have invented and described 1n an application of equal date herewith.

The apparatus is described in detail'in the accompanying specifications and -drawin s, and the features of novelty are speciicaIl set forth in the claims. o

The drawing shows a vertical sectional view of the apparatus. l

, A, B and C are the three vacuum treating chambers of the apparatus, discharging into each, other and forming together a single unitary structure, theY structural details of which are more fully set forth and described- 1n my earlier application, Serial N o. 365,783.

Each of the treating chambers is with electrodes F and G, for heating pur? poses, and nozzles H for the introduction of reagents or steam. They are also each rovided with outletpipes c, b, andc, w ich kept partlally `filled with a suitable condensing iquid, such as water, which is circulated through suitable inlet and outlet pipes d and c. A vacuum is created within each of the chambers and in the embodiment illustrated the means used to eiect this also serve to withdraw the volatile metals. These means comprise an exhausting fan J which is'operatively connected to each of the tanks by suitable conducting piping g, baffle plates f being disposed vertically in each of the tanks and adapted to separate the space above the liquid into two compartments 'p and of w ich the compartment g is exhaustefgi by the fan J and the compartmentp receives the volatile metals which are drawn down into the liquid and .condensed by the vacuum created in the compartmentg.

provided In order to insure the exclusion of air and thus prevent the formation of metallic salts or compounds, I surround the treating chainbers wlth casin s K, L and M, and exhaust the air from eac of the casin s through conducting pi 1es h, i and y', whic communicate with suita le exhausting means, such as the Water pump M, which in the specific embodiment i lustrated, comprises an outer casing 7c and an inner perforated tube l, through which a column of Water falls, supplied by a suitable conductor m. It is not necessary that each lof' these chambers should have a separate casing, as, if desired, a single casing might be provided inclosing the entire apparatus.

In carrying -out theprocess in my improved apparatus, as set forth in the co-pending application, it is necessary to obtain av v'a'cuum in the furnace during the treatment of the ore, and it is also necessaryto extract separately the sublimed metals from each treating chamber. The vacuum"is created in the interior of the chamber, by means of.

the blowing fan J operating through the condensing tank and outlet pipes a, b, and c. The vacuum is further maintained by the exhaustion of the inclosing casing K, L and M, thus entirely preventing the entrance of any air into the apparatus. The withdrawal of the sublimed metalsis effected by the blower J which causes the volatile metals to be drawn downwardly into the liquid in the condensing tanks -and therecondens'ed.

This liquid must be kept circulating by the conducting pi es shown, as its temperature will naturally E metals passing therein.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an apparatus for extracting metals from ore, the combination with the treating chamber of inclosing means therefor, extending about the same, and means for creating a vacuum in the inclosing means.

2. In an apparatus for extracting metals from ore, the combination with a series of chambers forming a single unitary structure, of casings extending about each chamber, means for creating a vacuum in each casing, as and'for the purpose specified.

' 3. In an apparatus for extracting metals from ore, the combination with a series of chambers, forming a sin le unitary structure, of casings extending a out each chamber, air exhausting means, and conducting uwans e greatly raised bythe volatile p extending from each chamber' to the air exhausting means.

4f. In an apparatus for extracting metal from ore, the combination With a treating chamber, of means for creating a Vacuum both Within and Without the saine.

5. In an apparatus for extracting metal frein ere, the combination withv a series of treating chambers, of a series of condensing tanks partially filled with a condensing liquid, baille plates in said tanks extendingr into the liquid, conducting means extending from one side of the baille plates to the treating chamber, means for exhausting the air from the opposite side of the baille plates, means for circulating the liquid in the eendensing tanks, a easing inelesing the treating?r chambers, and means for creating a vaeuuin in the easing, as and 'for the purpose speciiied.

Signed at Ottawa, Province 0f Ontario, this 20th day of July, 1907.

JAMES HENRY REID. Witnesses:

RUSSEL S. SMART, C. W. CAMERON. 

